Your towing rigs and trailers

[Xfaxman]

View attachment 529632One more photo. The trailer has a adjustable dump gate that can spread gravel amazingly even. I was giddy while pouring my driveway. Sorry the image is sideways. I don't know how to rotate it in the post.

It is topside up when opened in a new tab. :thumbsup:

 

[tjkubota93]

The trailer is 6'x12' with a 12k overall capacity. I purchased it new for $6000. What sold me on the trailer was the 10 guage steel bed with break formed sides instead of welds. I recently applied 3m plastic film to protect the powdercoat from rock chips thrown from the truck while towing. It's a pretty trailer. It will live a pampered life.

Nice. I would not be able to use it enough to justify it. But that could probably be said about most of my stuff.

 

[tjkubota93]

I installed a Gear Vendors overdrive, but had a very bad harmonic vibration at 55mph and 70mph that I could not solve. The gear vendors unit was solid and loved it, but could not deal with the vibration drone noise through out the truck. I worked with gear vendors engineers for months, trying to solve the issue.
I returned the unit after trying many things.

My OEM driveline came with a rubber vibration dampener that Gear Vendors swore I did not need, but im pretty sure it would have solved the problem. I may try the gear vendors again, and have a driveline made with the rubber dampener, because I need a gear splitter when towing the fully loaded dump trailer. That sucker gets heavy!

If it was a big steel weight with a rubber isolator, you do need it. It was there to change the mass of the driveline, which changes the resonant frequency. After removing it, you found the resonant frequency to be in the range you used it. If you can't fix a problem change when it happens!

You can also try filling the driveshaft with spray foam and have it balanced.

Another possibility is the angle of your u joints having been changed, but that would be more of a vibration.

 

[truetractoring]

If it was a big steel weight with a rubber isolator, you do need it. It was there to change the mass of the driveline, which changes the resonant frequency. After removing it, you found the resonant frequency to be in the range you used it. If you can't fix a problem change when it happens!

You can also try filling the driveshaft with spray foam and have it balanced.

Another possibility is the angle of your u joints having been changed, but that would be more of a vibration.

Yes it was a big steel round weight with rubber isolator. Gear vendors engineers were insistent that the damper was not needed. I know dodge put it there for a reason. The driveline was made by Drivelines NW in Washington, and has an excellent reputation. Drivelines NW tirelessly worked with me trying to resolve the issue. The last resort was to custom build a dampener that would work with the gear vendors, but was too cost prohibitive with all the other cost I had incurred. I gave up.

I will say, the concept of splitting gears and having an over-overdrive was awesome. The gear vendors quality and how it shifted was perfect. I really wish I could have resolved the overall truck vibration problem.

 

[3930dave]

I will say, the concept of splitting gears and having an over-overdrive was awesome. The gear vendors quality and how it shifted was perfect. I really wish I could have resolved the overall truck vibration problem.

Too bad that didn't work out.

A lottery-win daydream of mine is building split rear-ends for light trucks. Most of the personal light diesels (3/4ton+) I see running around here are empty/no trailer most of the time. Pretty sure you don't really need much of 900ft# to cruise down the highway in an empty truck.

(Not to take anything away from GVendors..... they have a great reputation, and many happy customers......).

Automatics have roughly tripled in gear count in my lifetime; so they have gotten better........ given choice/budget to play with, I prefer stick though.....

Rgds, D.

 

[fried1765]

You don't put the jack directly on the scale, you use a 4 foot piece of 4x4 with the scale on one end and a pivot at the other (and a piece of pipe between the scale and the wood and another between the pivot and the wood). If you put the jack 1 foot in from pivot and 3 feet from the bathroom scale, 100# as displayed on the scale is 400# of tongue weight.
See: Determining Trailer Tongue Weight | etrailer.com

Aaron Z

Excellent post!
The 4x4 can be even longer, for greater tongue weights.
Perhaps folks who discounted the idea, will now understand, from the graphics in your post.
This procedure is really only meaningful when your new load is very different from any other load, and positioning, that you have previously checked for tongue weight.
If you carry the same tractor, and/or implements in the same/similar location on your trailer every time, checking the tongue weight each time is unnecessary.
If you are towing at highway speeds (on slippery roads?), having the proper percentage of load as tongue weight, will most definitely contribute to towing safety.

Other important trailer issues:

Tire pressures, tire age, tread wear, sidewall condition.

Electric brake controller operation.

Emergency break-away battery condition (frequently ignored)

Wheel bearings repacked (frequently ignored)

Lights all operating.

Safety chains crossed, and in good condition.

Weight distribution hitch ......a very good idea.

 

[ultrarunner]

View attachment 529632One more photo. The trailer has a adjustable dump gate that can spread gravel amazingly even. I was giddy while pouring my driveway. Sorry the image is sideways. I don't know how to rotate it in the post.

Looks like a carpet...

Had a great Mom and Pop with dump truck company... I would call and he would tailgate spread to perfection... sadly, he passed away and never have found anyone near as good...

Olympia WA

 

[4570Man]

I'd like a 2 speed rear end in my powerhouse 6.5. With a new duramax making 3 times the torque it's probably a waste of time.

 

[dodge man]

I had an 04 Dodge with a Cummins. Rust and a bad drive line vibration finally drove me out of the truck. I also had 4.10 gears. I always felt it was my driveshaft also. It wasn’t the front one because i pulled it with no change. It wasn’t tires because they had been replaced. It seems to be a common problem on the Cummins forums. I think the heavy drive line behind the Cummins torque adds to the problem. To bad because I liked the truck a lot.

 

[Travelover]

I had an 04 Dodge with a Cummins. Rust and a bad drive line vibration finally drove me out of the truck. I also had 4.10 gears. I always felt it was my driveshaft also. It wasn’t the front one because i pulled it with no change. It wasn’t tires because they had been replaced. It seems to be a common problem on the Cummins forums. I think the heavy drive line behind the Cummins torque adds to the problem. To bad because I liked the truck a lot.

You can field balance a drive shaft with a hose clamp or two. It is actually pretty easy if you have access to a highway and a convenient place to pull off and slide under the truck to rotate the clamp head until you find the sweet spot.

 

[wmonroe]

It's a 1996 that I bought in 1998 with 80k miles on it. It now has 212 k miles. The 5.9 cummins has been pumped up a bit with the Banks power pack. Has a 5 speed stick which I love and getting a south Bend clutch upgrade Monday. Axles have 4.10 gears, so it tows very well, but high rpm's on the freeway. It is very clean, and always garaged. I really like the truck. Does everything I need it to do.

I had a 97 5 speed with 4:10’s. Loved the truck but agree with you on the gearing. Good luck with your truck and enjoy it!

 

[Soldier415]

This past weekend I put a leveling kit and 34.5" Nitto Trail Grapplers on black rhino wheels on my tow rig. Its a 2017 Chevy 2500HD LTZ Crew Cab custom sport duramax. I like the look much better than stock

 

[DavesTractor]

This past weekend I put a leveling kit and 34.5" Nitto Trail Grapplers on black rhino wheels on my tow rig. Its a 2017 Chevy 2500HD LTZ Crew Cab custom sport duramax. I like the look much better than stock

That looks really good. Not over done, just stout looking. What is the actual tire size as written on the sidewall? How are you dealing with the speedometer calibration?

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

This past weekend I put a leveling kit and 34.5" Nitto Trail Grapplers on black rhino wheels on my tow rig. Its a 2017 Chevy 2500HD LTZ Crew Cab custom sport duramax. I like the look much better than stock

I think the level kits look good but if you tow you can't see over the hood can you?

 

[Soldier415]

That looks really good. Not over done, just stout looking. What is the actual tire size as written on the sidewall? How are you dealing with the speedometer calibration?

The tires are 297/70R18 which are the largest that can fit with the level kit without doing a lift. Was running basic AT tires that came with it in size 275/65R20 previously. Now I have my winter tires on the stock 20" wheels so when it comes time for the season change im just swapping wheels instead of a tire swap.

Haven't done anything to re-calibrate the speedometer

 

[DavesTractor]

The tires are 297/70R18 which are the largest that can fit with the level kit without doing a lift. Was running basic AT tires that came with it in size 275/65R20 previously. Now I have my winter tires on the stock 20" wheels so when it comes time for the season change im just swapping wheels instead of a tire swap.

Haven't done anything to re-calibrate the speedometer

Assuming you meant 295/70R18 and your stock tires were 275/65R20, it appears you are less than 1/4" taller, well under 1% difference. No speedometer calibration needed. Tires are for all intents and purposes the same diameter.

 

[Soldier415]

Assuming you meant 295/70R18 and your stock tires were 275/65R20, it appears you are less than 1/4" taller, well under 1% difference. No speedometer calibration needed. Tires are for all intents and purposes the same diameter.

Yeah, meant 295. Fat fingered the keyboard. the overall diameter is similar. Dropped to an 18" rim to be able to get more tire and less rim. Not to mention 18" tires are cheaper than 20s

 

[aeblank]

The tires are 297/70R18 which are the largest that can fit with the level kit without doing a lift. Was running basic AT tires that came with it in size 275/65R20 previously. Now I have my winter tires on the stock 20" wheels so when it comes time for the season change im just swapping wheels instead of a tire swap.

Haven't done anything to re-calibrate the speedometer

You found 20" snows?

 

[Soldier415]

You found 20" snows?

Yeah. **** good ones too. Cooper Discoverer M+S in 275/60R20

 

[aeblank]

Yeah. **** good ones too. Cooper Discoverer M+S in 275/60R20

10 ply?

I got some 17" 2500 van wheels and put snows on those. Makes a big difference, regardless the size.